The Center for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine

The North American Spine Society
NASS is a dynamic, multidisciplinary medical organization that promotes spine research, educates spine care professionals, assists its members to provide high quality, cost-effective care for patients with spinal disorders and informs the public about spine health issues.

Scoliosis Research Society
Everyone's spine has natural curves. These curves round our shoulders and make our lower back curve slightly inward. But some people have spines that also curve from side to side. Unlike poor posture, these curves can't be corrected simply by learning to stand up straight.

This condition of side-to-side spinal curves is called scoliosis. On an x-ray, the spine of a person with scoliosis looks more like an "S" or a "C" than a straight line. Some of the bones in a scoliotic spine also may have rotated slightly, making the person's waist or shoulders appear uneven.